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(No Model.) 1 R. D. THAGKSTON.

SELF CLOSING HATGHWA Y.

- No. 303,194. Patented Aug. 5, 1884.

- I 1W1 A? o 0 1r a -UNITED STATES" PATENT Fries.

RICHARD n. TnAoKs'ron, on ST. LoUIs, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF .ro HENRY I. con, or SAME PLACE.

SELF-CLOSING HATCHWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,194, dated August 5, 1884.

Application filed November 10, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD D. THACKS- TON, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self-Closing Hatchways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which.

Figure 1 is anel'evation of the front of the cage. Fig. 2 is a similar view of one side of the cage. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the cage in top view. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1, the cage being removed; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of one of the counterbalances and friction-rollers, showing part of their supporting arm.

My invention relates to improvements in self-closing hatchways; and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the uprights of an elevator-shaft, B a cage, and Ddoois, one of which I have shown hinged to the back and the other to one side of the shaft, the hinges being fastened to the floor of the building or to any other suitable object.

I J represent cams secured to the top and bottom of the cage, respectively, for opening the doors. Nothing novel is claimed in the construction of these cams in this application. I prefer to use three on top and three on the bottom of the cage.

L represents counterbalanced arms pivoted.

to the building or other suitable support or supports, and connected to the doors by ropes,

cords, or chains N, which pass-over grooved pulleys or sheave O, secured to suitable supports. As the cage ascends, the cams on the top of it come in contact with and raise the doors, and as the cage descends the cams on its bottom strike friction-rollers P, secured to one side of the ends of the arms L,and force the free ends of the arms downward, thus raising the doors through means of the described counccting cords or ropes N. After the cage is passed in either direction, the counter-balances T on the ends of the arms above referred to prevent the doors from closing too fast by gravity; and as the size and weight of the doors vary greatly, it becomes very desirable to have these counterbalances so constructed that their weight can be regulated. I accomplish this (see Fig. 5) by having a pin on the arm, over which is slipped a number of disks, a greater or less number be ing used according to the weight required. They are held on by any suitable means. I have shown the end of g the arm screw-threaded and provided with a nut. The counter-balance is on one side of the arm and the frictionroller 1? on the other, (of course each arm is provided with these features,) and the rollers consist of two disks, or one, if preferred, riveted together, and provided with a circumferential groove, in which fits a rubber or other suitable soft band, P, against which the cams strike, and which deaden the noise. The rollers may be held on their arbors or pins by any suitable means. V

0 represents a safety-bar, which is raised by the opening door to prevent persons get ting on the closed door or doors; but this feature is made the subject-matter of another application, and needs no description here. This device as above described is particularly adapted to fast-running elevators.

U represents a spring to force the door to closeafterthe cage has passed.

V represents springs secured to the cams on top of the cage, which come in contact with the door or friction-rol1er, as the case may be, to start the movement of the door, so that it will not be started by a sudden movement, as would be the case were the cam to come abruptly against the door or rollers. If the springs should break at any time, of course the cams would still open the doors.

In another application, Serial No. 134,063, I claimthe herein-described spring connected to the cam for opening the door.

I- claim as my invention.

1. In a self-closing hatchway, the counterbalan ccs consisting of removable disks secured to the ends of pivoted arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 2. In a self-closing hatchway, the frictionrollers consisting of two grooved disks riveted together and provided with a soft band, and

secured to the ends of pivoted arms, substanstructed and operating substantially as shown tially as and for the purpose set forth. and described, for the purpose setforth.

3. In a self-closing hatchway, the combination of cage, doors, independent pivoted arms RICHARD THAOKSTON' 5 connected to the doors, counter-balances, and In presence offriction-rollers secured to the ends of the piv- SAML. KNIGHT, oted arms, and cams upon the cage, all con- GEO. H. KNIGHT. 

